15 Questions to Ask Before Hiring an MSP
Choosing the right IT partner starts with asking the right questions.
Hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) is a big decision.
The right MSP can help your business stay secure, reduce technology headaches, and support future growth. The wrong one can leave you dealing with slow response times, recurring problems, and unexpected costs.
That's why choosing an IT provider should involve more than comparing pricing or reviewing a list of services.
It also starts with knowing what kind of partnership you need. Most MSP relationships follow one of two models:
You need to understand how the provider works, how they support clients, and whether they will be a good long-term partner for your organization.
Whether you're looking for fully managed IT services or a co-managed IT partner to support your internal team, these questions can help you make a more informed decision.
What Types of Businesses Do You Typically Support?
Not every IT provider serves the same types of clients.
Some specialize in small businesses. Others focus on larger organizations, highly regulated industries, or companies with complex technology environments.
Ask whether the MSP has experience working with businesses similar to yours in size, complexity, and technology needs. If they've supported organizations that face challenges like yours, they're more likely to understand your priorities and provide relevant recommendations.
Experience doesn't automatically make a provider the right fit, but it can help shorten the learning curve and reduce surprises down the road.
What Services Are Included?
"Managed IT services" can mean different things from one provider to another.
Some IT providers offer comprehensive support that includes monitoring, cybersecurity, help desk services, and strategic planning. Others may provide only a limited set of services.
Ask for a clear explanation of what is included in the agreement and what may result in additional costs. Understanding exactly what you're paying for can help you compare providers more accurately and avoid confusion later.
A good MSP should be able to explain their services in plain language without relying on technical jargon.
How Do You Handle Cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity should never be an afterthought.
Technology threats continue to evolve, and businesses of all sizes are potential targets. That's why it's important to understand how a provider approaches security before signing a contract.
Ask what security tools, monitoring processes, and protections are included. Learn how they help prevent threats, identify suspicious activity, and respond when problems occur.
The goal isn't just to buy security tools. It's to understand whether the IT provider takes a proactive approach to protecting your business.
What Are Your Response and Resolution Times?
When systems go down, every minute matters.
Even a small technology issue can affect employee productivity, customer service, and business operations. That's why support expectations should be clearly defined from the start.
Ask how quickly support requests receive a response and how long issues typically take to resolve. It's also helpful to understand whether critical issues receive faster attention than routine requests.
A provider's service commitments can offer valuable insight into the level of support you can expect after the contract is signed.
Who Will We Be Working With?
Technology support is about more than technology.
You'll likely interact with your MSP regularly, whether you're resolving issues, discussing projects, or planning future initiatives. Knowing who you'll be working with can help set expectations for the relationship.
Some IT providers assign a dedicated team, while others rotate technicians based on availability. Ask whether you'll have a primary point of contact and who will be responsible for understanding your environment.
Strong relationships often lead to better communication, faster problem-solving, and a more positive support experience.
How Do You Support Internal IT Teams?
Many organizations already have internal IT staff and aren't looking to replace them.
Instead, they need additional expertise, better tools, or extra resources to help manage growing demands. This is where a co-managed IT approach can be valuable.
Ask how the MSP works alongside internal teams. Do they collaborate effectively, share responsibilities clearly, and respect existing processes?
The best co-managed partnerships strengthen internal IT departments rather than creating confusion or overlap.
What Does Your Onboarding Process Look Like?
The first few months often determine how successful the relationship will be.
A strong onboarding process helps the IT provider understand your systems, identify risks, document key information, and establish communication expectations.
Ask what steps are involved, how long onboarding typically takes, and what your team should expect during the transition.
An organized onboarding process can help prevent disruptions and create a smoother experience for everyone involved.
What Reporting Do You Provide?
Technology should not feel like a black box.
Business leaders should have visibility into what's happening across their technology environment, especially when they're relying on an outside provider.
Ask what reports are provided, how often you receive them, and what information they include. Good reports should help you understand system health, support activity, security trends, and ongoing risks.
Effective reporting creates transparency and helps ensure everyone stays aligned on priorities.
How Do You Approach Strategic Planning?
A great MSP does more than fix issues as they arise.
They should also help your organization think ahead. Technology decisions made today can affect your business for years to come.
Ask whether the provider assists with budgeting, technology roadmaps, lifecycle planning, and future business initiatives.
The best IT providers act as advisors, helping ensure technology investments support your long-term goals rather than just addressing short-term problems.
The best MSPs don't just fix technology problems. They help organizations reduce risk, improve operational resilience, and make better technology decisions over time.
What Happens During a Cybersecurity Incident?
No provider can guarantee that an incident will never happen.
What matters is whether they have a plan for responding quickly and effectively when challenges arise.
Ask who is responsible during an incident, how communication will be handled, and what steps are taken to contain and recover from an issue.
Preparation often makes the difference between a temporary disruption and a significant business impact. That is the work behind our business continuity and disaster recovery services.
How Do You Measure Success?
Every provider should have a way to measure its performance.
If an IT provider cannot explain how they evaluate success, it may be difficult to determine whether you're receiving value from the partnership.
Ask which metrics they track and how those metrics are shared with clients. Response times, resolution rates, security improvements, and customer satisfaction are all common examples.
Understanding what they measure can reveal what they prioritize.
Can You Provide Client References?
References remain one of the most valuable parts of the evaluation process.
Marketing materials and sales presentations tell one story. Existing clients often provide a more realistic picture of what it's like to work with a provider every day.
When speaking with references, ask about responsiveness, communication, reliability, and overall satisfaction. Don't be afraid to ask what challenges they've experienced as well.
Honest feedback can help you make a more informed decision.
Who Is Responsible When Something Goes Wrong?
When something breaks, ownership should never be unclear.
Technology problems rarely stay inside one system or one vendor. A single failure can quickly become a question of who is accountable, who coordinates the response, and who keeps leadership informed.
Ask who takes ownership when an issue crosses vendor lines, who manages third-party providers on your behalf, and how responsibility is documented before a problem ever happens.
The right MSP owns the outcome, not just their portion of the ticket.
What Is Not Included in the Agreement?
This may be one of the most important questions you ask.
Many misunderstandings happen because clients and providers assume different things are included. Clarifying expectations early can help prevent frustration later.
Ask about project work, after-hours support, onsite visits, hardware purchases, consulting, and any other services that might incur additional fees.
Knowing what's not covered is just as important as knowing what is.
Why Should We Choose You?
This simple question often leads to the most revealing answer.
It gives the IT provider an opportunity to explain what makes them different and how they create value for clients.
Listen carefully to what they emphasize. Do they focus only on tools and technology, or do they talk about communication, partnership, accountability, and business outcomes?
The strongest providers understand that successful IT support is about helping organizations achieve their goals, not just solving technical problems.
MSP Interview Scorecard
Use this scorecard when interviewing potential providers. Each row maps to one of the 15 questions. Rate each area from 1 (Poor) to 5 (Excellent).
The Bottom Line
Choosing an MSP is not just about finding someone to manage technology. It is about finding a partner you can trust.
The answers may tell you more than the proposal ever will.
Interview Us Like You'd Interview Any MSP
Bring your list of questions. We'll answer every one of them.
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